Tactile vs hotkeys-js

hotkeys-js is one of the most-used shortcut libraries on npm, and it deserves it: actively maintained, dependency-free, with a real scope system (setScope/getScope) and an input filter. Its two structural limits are the deprecated keyCode key model and scopes that are flat names rather than expressions.

At a glance

	hotkeys-js	Tactile
Key model	`keyCode` (deprecated)	`event.key` + `event.code`, hybrid
Scopes	one active named scope	`when` expressions — compose freely
Conflicts	last binding silently stacks	detected + priority
Input filter	global `hotkeys.filter`	per-engine `ignore`
Sequences (`g i`)	✗	✅
Introspection	key codes only	full keymap with labels
Size	~2.6 kB	~5.5 kB

Scopes vs when-expressions

hotkeys-js has exactly one active scope at a time:

hotkeys('ctrl+b', 'editor', toggleBold);
hotkeys.setScope('editor');

Tactile’s scopes are just context keys, so conditions compose:

kb.add({
  id: 'bold',
  keys: 'ctrl+b',
  when: "scope == 'editor' && !readOnly && !modalOpen",
  handler: toggleBold,
});

With one active scope, “editor shortcuts, but not while a modal is open, but only when editable” forces scope-juggling in app code. With expressions it’s one line on the rule.

Migration

// hotkeys-js
hotkeys('ctrl+a,ctrl+b', 'editor', (event, handler) => {
  if (handler.key === 'ctrl+a') selectAll();
  else bold();
});

// Tactile — one rule per command (ids power help dialogs + collisions)
kb.add({ id: 'selectAll', keys: 'ctrl+a', when: "scope == 'editor'", handler: selectAll });
kb.add({ id: 'bold', keys: 'ctrl+b', when: "scope == 'editor'", handler: bold });
kb.context.set('scope', 'editor'); // replaces hotkeys.setScope('editor')

Next steps